FÚINN / ABOUT US
Let’s Learn Irish is an online community of Irish learners and mentors, a global Gaeltacht providing weekly courses, conversation sessions and language workshops throughout the year. We are home to hundreds of learners from around the world who are passionate about protecting and promoting the Irish language.
Ever since our first Irish classes began in Washington DC in 2009, we’ve endeavoured to foster an inclusive, international community of Irish language enthusiasts. We’re proud to lead the way in online education for Irish learners in the USA and throughout the world. See Let’s Learn Irish featured in the Press down through the years. Below are some of our community highlights:
2009: First in-person Irish classes begin in Washington DC.
2011: Our classes are featured in The Irish Times, as well as BBC America, NPR, The Washington Post, RTE Drivetime and more.
2012: Introduced our first virtual classrooms, to provide additional learning opportunities and support for our in-person classes in Washington DC.
2013: Adapted the TEG curriculum as a framework for our language courses.
2017: Established the week-long language festival, Féile na Gaeilge. Founded Cór DC, the first Irish language choir in the USA. Began the Gaeltacht.net research study (2017-2021) at University of Galway.
2018: Offered our first live, online classes, and hosted the first TEG oral exams in Washington DC. We were subsequently given a special reception at the Irish Embassy by Ambassador Dan Mulhall in June, and our choir, Cór DC, performed at the Irish Embassy in December.
2019: Our online initiatives for Irish learners worldwide are profiled on TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta. We hosted full-credit TEG exams at A1 and A2 level in Washington DC, the only venue to do so in the USA. Introduced our monthly Free Workshop for new and old learners.
2020: Established weekly, structured Comhrá sessions for learners at all levels. These sessions are based on Topaic na Seachtaine.
2022: As the online Irish community continues to grow, our achievements are highlighted in the Irish Echo, Nós magazine and Raidió na Gaeltachta.
2023: Introduced our Membership service, which provides continued access to our Comhrá, Ceardlanna and Cartlann (Archive) for anyone who wants to keep practicing their Irish skills outside of classes!
ÁR gCUR CHUIGE / OUR APPROACH
The 3 spirals in our logo symbolise the research-informed approach that we have adapted in our community. Let’s Learn Irish utilises the 3C’s Model for Online Language Communities (Connolly, 2021), as developed at the School of Education, University of Galway. The 3C’s design model emphasises Connection, Communication and Collaboration within a global community of Irish learners. This sociolinguistic perspective focuses on a communicative approach and authenticity in an interactive, online language environment. Our learner-centred approach prioritises a vibrant, online space for Irish learners through structured courses, weekly conversation sessions and community workshops.
Our logo also represents the 3 central offerings in the Let’s Learn Irish community: Cúrsaí (courses), Comhrá (conversation) and Ceardlanna (workshops). The spirals are reminiscent of the triskele, also known as the triskelion, an important spiritual marking that dates back to ancient origins in Irish culture. This triple spiral symbolises strength, progress and the ability to move forward and overcome adversity. The Celts believed that everything that was truly important came in threes. The 3 spirals in the Let’s Learn Irish logo combine to form a central hub, representing the vibrant, resilient and welcoming Irish language community. We continue to innovate and lead the way in fostering language exchange among Irish learners and mentors worldwide as they ‘connect, communicate & collaborate’ trí Ghaeilge – bígí linn i gComhphobal na Gaeilge!
It takes a team of teachers, mentors and learners to sustain our online language community. Each teacher in our community is an experienced educator who is passionate about the Irish language and dedicated to helping learners make long-term progress. Our mentors and language helpers are also on hand to help learners as they pursue their goal of becoming fluent in Irish. Bí linn mar mhúinteoir!
AN FHOIREANN / THE TEAM
Rónán Ó Conghaile, PhD
Stiúrthóir/Director
Chuir Rónán tús le ranganna Gaeilge in Washington DC in 2009. Thar na blianta, tháinig forbairt ag an togra sin, go dtí go raibh comhphobal idirnáisiúnta tógtha. Tá suim mhór ag Rónán sna bealaí is éifeachtaí chun tacú le foghlaimeoirí Gaeilge ar líne, agus tá sé ag tnúth go mór le bualadh leat ar líne!
Rónán began Irish classes in Washington DC in 2009. Over the years the project developed, until eventually an international community had formed. Ronan is very interested in the most effective ways to support online Irish learners, and he is looking forward to meeting you online!
Tá ranganna á múineadh ag Quinton le Let’s Learn Irish ó 2018. Chomh maith, is léachtóir le Gaeilge é in Ollscoil Chaitliceach Meiriceá. Rinne sé iarchéim sa Nua-Ghaeilge ag Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, agus teastas i Múineadh na Gaeilge d’Fhoghlaimeoirí Fásta ag Ollscoil Mhá Nuad. Tá staidéar déanta ag Quinton ar neart teangacha, ach tá dúil ar leith aige sa Ghaeilge!
Quinton has been teaching classes with Let’s Learn Irish since 2018. He is also the Coordinator of the Irish Language Program at the Catholic University of America. He completed a Master’s Degree in Modern Irish at the University of Galway, and a certificate in Teaching Irish to Adult Learners Maynooth University. Quinton has studied many languages, but is particularly fond of Irish!
Caitríona Weafer
Múinteoir/Teacher
Rugadh agus tógadh Caitríona in Éirinn. Tá sí cáilithe mar mhúinteoir bunscoile in Éirinn (B. Ed. H.Dip) agus mar mhúinteoir rince (TMRF). Chomh maith, tá máistreacht aici sa Spáinnis, agus mhúin sí Spáinnis agus Seapáinis i meánscoileanna agus coláistí. Bhunaigh Caitríona craobh de chuid Chonradh na Gaeilge i gCathair na nAingeal, agus tá nós aici a Gaeltacht féin a chruthú, pé áit ina bhfuil sí ar domhan!
Caitríona was born and raised in Ireland. She qualified as a primary school teacher in Ireland (B. Ed. H.Dip) and as a dance teacher (TMRF). She also has a masters in Spanish, and has taught Spanish and Japanese in high schools and colleges. Caitríona founded a branch of CnaG in Los Angeles, and she has a habit of creating her own Gaeltacht, wherever in the world she is!
Seoirsín Ní Mheachair
Múinteoir/Teacher
Is múinteoir agus aistritheoir Gaeilge í Seoirsín. Is teagascóir Gaeilge í le Chonradh na Gaeilge Craobh Chumar an Dá Uisce agus Vassar College. Bhronn Ollscoil Mhá Nuad Teastas i Múineadh na Gaeilge uirthi in 2021, Teastas i gCruinnscríobh na Gaeilge uirthi in 2022 agus Dioplóma Iar-Chéime in Aistriúchán agus Eagarthóireacht uirthi in 2024. Tá dúil ag Seoirsín i litríocht na Gaeilge, go háirithe i seanchas Thír Chonaill. Tá sí anseo leis an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn.
Seoirsín is an Irish teacher and translator. She teaches Irish at Conradh na Gaeilge Craobh Chumar an Dá Uisce and at Vassar College. Seoirsín earned a Certificate in Teaching of Irish to Adult Learners at Maynooth University in 2021, Certificate in Written Irish in 2022 and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Translation and Editing in 2024. She has a great love of Irish language literature, particularly of Donegal. She is here to promote the Irish language.
Gwendolyn Butler
Múinteoir/Teacher
Fuair Gwen an Ghaeilge trí thimpiste agus í san ollscoil ag baint amach céim sa bhfealsúnacht. Choinnigh an Ghaeilge slán í trí bhuaireamh an tsaoil ó shin. Bíonn sí ag casadh amhrán (in aon teanga seachas an Béarla) agus ag éisteacht le Raidió na Gaeltachta chomh minic agus is féidir. Tá Fraincis, Gaeilge agus Béarla aici, agus tá sí fós ag foghlaim na Spáinnise, na Breatnaise agus na hUngáirise.
Gwen stumbled into Irish on accident while completing a philosophy BA. Her Irish kept her safe through a rough patch in life and is a constant comfort to her. She sings (in any language except English) and listens to Raidió na Gaeltachta as often as possible. She speaks French, Irish and, reluctantly, English, and is learning Spanish, Welsh and Hungarian.
Ryan Dennis
Scríbhneoir/Writer
Is léachtóir ollscoile le scríbhneoireacht é Ryan Dennis agus údar an úrscéil ‘The Beasts They Turned Away’. Tá sé ina eagarthóir freisin ar The Milk House, iris liteartha a dhíríonn ar scríbhneoireacht tuaithe agus a chuireann cúrsaí scríbhneoireacht chruthaitheach ar fáil. Tá spéis aige i dteangacha eile ar nós na Gaeilge a fhoghlaim, chun tuiscint níos fearr a fháil ar an tionchar a bhíonn ag focail ar an lucht léitheoireachta.
Ryan Dennis is a university lecturer in writing and the author of the novel ‘The Beasts They Turned Away’. He is also the editor of The Milk House, a literary journal that focuses on rural writing and offers creative writing courses. He has an interest in learning other languages such as Irish in order to better understand the effects that words have on the page.